Dundee United 1-1 Celtic: Ange Postecoglou’s side reclaim league title

Celtic have won the Scottish Premiership title for the 10th time in 11 seasons after drawing with a gutsy Dundee United at Tannadice.

Having built an almost completely new Celtic side, manager Ange Postecoglou has reversed a 25-point deficit to Rangers from last term to claim the league at his first attempt.

It has been a remarkable turnaround for the club as they restored themselves to the top of Scottish football on the same ground where they meekly ceded their 10-in-a-row hopes 14 months ago.

United head coach Tam Courts has also had an impressive debut season, with his side now assured of Europa Conference League football next season.

But the most joyous celebrating was done by Celtic, who extended their unbeaten league run to 31 games and complete a relentless turnaround after trailing Rangers by six points in the title race on Boxing Day.

It was not clinched with their usual attacking verve and intensity as Postecoglou rotated his front three, but Giakoumakis rose to head home Anthony Ralston’s terrific cross and spark wild celebrations from the Celtic fans.

But whether through nerves, or relief at having the title in their grasp, Celtic were loose and United hit the woodwork twice through 16-year-old striker Rory MacLeod and Tony Watt, before Manchester United loanee Levitt smashed in a fantastic equaliser from 25 yards.

Ryan Edwards could have delayed the title party until Sunday but headed wide from just a few yards out in the closing stages, but Celtic had plenty of chances to win the game too.

Giakoumakis slid a shot past a post at 1-0, and Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda, and Jota all went close.

In the end, all that matters is they have got the job done and Postecoglou was visibly emotional at full-time, having come in to a club in turmoil and managed to overcome three defeats in their first six league games to become champions.

Man of the match – Callum McGregor

What did we learn?

Postecoglou has completely transformed Celtic in less than a year. Last March, they lost their nine-year grip on the league trophy with a completely toothless display against United as Rangers disappeared over the hill.

Only McGregor was in the XI that day; the Australian has built a whole new team since. Almost every new signing has worked, and he has improved players such as Ralston and Greg Taylor, who were marked as surplus to requirements by many.

Much has been made of their relentless attacking play. But they have improved so much at the back, with centre-backs Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt – suspect at the start of the season – also transformed under Postecoglou’s guidance.

The fact Celtic have not conceded as late as they did at Tannadice in any league game since the first day of the season is testament to their resilience, and there have been a few late winners to get them over the line.

Even when the club was engulfed in crisis at the start of the season following their worst ever start to a campaign, Postecoglou stayed calm and guided them through without his own coaching staff and without a head of recruitment in place at the club.

With the League Cup won as well, it feels like the Celtic boss is just getting started, but he will know improvement is needed in the summer if they want to compete in the group stages of the Champions League next season.

As for United, Courts can be mightily pleased with his first season’s work as a manager. Guiding United to Europe for the first time in 10 years is no mean feat, and he has proved effective at setting up a team.

Their policy of playing youth – evidenced one against by a first start for striker MacLeod at Tannadice – is admirable and Courts’ willingness to give them a chance and help them improve has been clear.

They were fantastic in the second half here and deserved their point. However, they will also know they need to improve again, having won just four of their 23 league games since November. With one game left, they are only one point better off than at the end of last season, when they finished ninth under Micky Mellon.

What’s next?

Celtic will lift the Premiership trophy after their home game against Motherwell on Sunday (12:15 BST) while United will hope the champions win so they can leapfrog the Fir Park side into fourth with a draw or win against Ross County in Dingwall.

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